No tenants are set for the 10,900 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, but because of the relatively small space the tenant would likely be a food service business, Letchinger said. The building will feature 269 units, from studios to three-bedroom apartments, according to Halsted Flats' Facebook page.

The building plan includes nearly 11,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor.
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Halsted Flats Facebook

The development got a lot of flack from neighbors when first announced, sparking a grassroots group called Halsted Neighbors that contested the plan's density, height and impact on the character of the neighborhood.

The project required changes in zoning from Ald. James Cappleman (46th) and, after a series of community meetings, the alderman ultimately supported the project.

Jim Ludwig, owner of Roscoe's Tavern and a longtime community activist who opposed the zoning changes, was surprised at the speedy timeline.

"There's no possibility in my mind that they could be delivering by next spring," he said. "It just doesn’t make sense. But, you know, the Empire State Building was built in ten months."